Villa Teresa

[Pete]

[Rover]

I think midtown is become the most desirable downtown residential area, by far. It’s really filling in nicely. Boulevard is a great addition to help make these residential away more attractive option. Walking the neighborhood just feels good.

[5alive]

I agree...between Villa Teresa (a very exciting project) and the Boulevard construction, this area is looking so good!

[Pete]

It's by far the best situated of the districts, with tons of restaurants, bars and shopping.

You can easily walk (or bike or scooter or streetcar) to the CBD, Auto Alley and Uptown.


Unfortunately, there are still huge holes everywhere and it will take decades for infill to catch up. You really feel it when you live down there and walk a lot.

[HangryHippo]

A flatiron-esque development on the EMSA lot would be incredible, but as Pete said, there are huge gaps that are more pressing.

[David]

It'd be really killer if The Elliott ever starts construction.

[Rover]

Unfortunately, there are still huge holes everywhere and it will take decades for infill to catch up. You really feel it when you live down there and walk a lot.

That's true, but simple projects like Boulevard really gobble up that feeling quickly. It isn't a majestic project, but totally changes the area. Strategic filling of some, not even all, lots can change the emptiness quickly. I think the biggest thing we can do is promote the medium size project with great street interaction in strategic areas that visually change the street level views.

Imagine another Boulevard type development on the MidTown property at 10th street across the street from DustBowl.

[Pete]

^

Yet, there are at least a dozen more holes with no current plans.

As I said, I lived down there and walking through every day is a very different experience than just driving. The general impression is that it's still pretty desolate.

[Rover]

^

Yet, there are at least a dozen more holes with no current plans.

As I said, I lived down there and walking through every day is a very different experience than just driving. The general impression is that it's still pretty desolate.

I'm sure. All I am saying is that there can be strategically located infill with good design that can really help. Since you are so familiar with it and walked it often you know where those places are and the types of projects that change perception. They don't all have to be $50 million developments. Again, look at the difference Boulevard makes and it isn't even that big.

[Plutonic Panda]

It'd be really killer if The Elliott ever starts construction.

I was thinking the same thing.

[HangryHippo]

It'd be really killer if The Elliott ever starts construction.

Also true!

[stlokc]

I feel selfish suggesting this...because I have neither the time nor the bandwidth to be the one to create it...

but if someone else had the interest LOL...

What I think would be really interesting to see is a thread with a list of the 20-25 most sizable/visible vacant lots in the core north of the boulevard with a description of who owns each plot, maybe how they are zoned, if they are for sale, and what (if any) plans have ever been proposed for them. Kind of a checklist for future development that we could "tick off" like the playing cards of Sadaam's henchmen in the Iraq War.

[stlokc]

By the way, I think the "Ace of Spades" would be the huge lot across 10th from Fassler Hall.

[Pete]

[5alive]

One of my favorite projects right now!

[Pete]

They are asking for almost $1 million in TIF money.

I know the deal with the Omni prohibited providing assistance to new downtown hotels, but now looking to see if there was a distance limit.

https://oklahoman.com/article/566181...a-teresa-hotel

[Pete]

Here's the area where public hotel subsidies are prohibited as per the terms of the Omni deal; so this hotel would fall outside of that:

For 15 years after a certificate of occupancy is issued for the Hotel, public contribution or subsidy will be
prohibited for a hotel within the “no-subsidy zone”, generally bounded by Dean A. McGee to the north, Joe Carter Avenue and Russell M Perry Avenue to the east, I-40 to the south, and Lee Avenue to the west

[Pete]

Also, this is a site plan that was part of an investor package about a year ago.

Based on what is said in the article, the Phase 2 Schoolhouse Flats and Lowery House will now become part of the hotel in order to receive historic tax credits. They had previously been planned as condo conversions.

I was told the pool, restaurant and other amenities will also be available to the home buyers.

[Mr. Blue Sky]

This is in Oklahoma City, one of the most “conservative” cities.
Business blames government for everything and then runs to the public trough of giveaways - at every level of governance! But, it’s not the city’s “job” to do so many things that meet human needs. That’s an Oklahoma “conservative” to a “T.”

[Pete]

This is in Oklahoma City, one of the most “conservative” cities.
Business blames government for everything and then runs to the public trough of giveaways - at every level of governance! But, it’s not the city’s “job” to do so many things that meet human needs. That’s an Oklahoma “conservative” to a “T.”

The term 'conservative' has changed dramatically in its application in the last few decades.

It now usually pertains to social wedge issues, and has little to do with fiscal policy.

[Mr. Blue Sky]

The term 'conservative' has changed dramatically in its application in the last few decades.

It now usually pertains to social wedge issues, and has little to do with fiscal policy.

I agree. Liberal and Conservative used to mean clear-cut economic points of view. Today, as you said, the attention (and labels) all go to, as you said, all of these issues that divide Americans socially and culturally. I was actually being more tongue in cheek than anything.

Since this is in a thread about hotels, do you know anything about the NW Holiday Inn Express being painted and reflagged as one of these Oyo hotels from India? Is Thompson still involved at all? Just doesn’t sound like a fit for him.

[Pete]

Since this is in a thread about hotels, do you know anything about the NW Holiday Inn Express being painted and reflagged as one of these Oyo hotels from India? Is Thompson still involved at all? Just doesn’t sound like a fit for him.

I thought I saw a big remodel permit go through a while back but now can't find it.

Let me dig into it.

[David]

What percentage of the overall build cost is that TIF amount?

[Pete]

[5alive]

I really like this unique project!